Internet Killed The Radio Star
by Inkfire
Summary: Scorpius and Draco Malfoy have a rather trying talk. A one-shot for the Daddy challenge on The Dark Lord's Most Faithful forum, and the Unrelated Title Challenge on HPFC.


**So this is a response to two challenges: the Daddy challenge on The Dark Lord's Most Faithful forum, and the Unrelated Title Competition on HPFC. 1300 words exactly.**

**Dedicated to Mistical Ninja for saving the day with my first sentence =)**

_**The Daddy Challenge. **_

_**There are so many great father figures in Harry Potter; Lucius Malfoy, Arthur Weasley, Lucius Malfoy, James Potter, Lucius Malfoy, Ted Tonks... Did I mention Lucius Malfoy? There are even some nasty ones! Yes I'm looking at you Marvolo Gaunt. So I want you to pick one (or more!) and let your imagination run free! Loving their own son/daughter, looking at how their father influenced them, judging someone elses parenting skills or a little domestic scene. Whether it's a sweet little father/son moment, or some shameful DILFing (I did mention Lucius Malfoy didn't I?) I want you to write a fic of a multiple of 100 words based around a Daddy.**_

"Dad."

The word, coming unexpectedly, wrung in Draco's head clear and cutting as a bell's toll, with lingering whispers of emptiness lurking beneath its façade of straightforward simplicity. For a split second he shivered, and an image of cool grey eyes and a regal face danced tauntingly under his tightly shut eyelids.

One second, before he caught himself and reeled back from the past. One second to open his eyes, clear his brow, take a breath, and call in a firm voice:

"Yes?"

Grey eyes faced him though, youth, elegance and a handsome arrogance that was as endearing as it was undeniable. An easy smile twisted Scorpius' mouth and gave a sparkle to his familiar irises, and Draco felt a powerful surge of bittersweet pride, for his son was sixteen, beautiful, and absolutely untouched by the war.

"Um, Dad? I wanted to talk to you," Scorpius went on, hovering somewhere in-between a smirk and a serious expression. Draco gestured for him to sit, putting aside a book he'd been too distracted to enjoy anyhow. Straightening up, he briefly wondered where Astoria was. Scorpius depended a lot on his mother, even more than he ever had himself with Narcissa, and "talks" between father and son were few and far between – or the kind of talks that required such requests were.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Draco asked pleasantly, fingers folding absent-mindedly on his lap. The thought, however brief, that he didn't have a cane left him troubled and dimly ill-at-ease, yet thankfully Scorpius didn't seem to notice.

"Well." The boy cleared his throat. "I am quite sure you remember that one time, a few years ago, when you gave me... the talk." Draco sensed the implied capital letter, and couldn't help but remember talks of purity and pride, of values that had seemed to him to be carved in stone, talks Scorpius had never really experienced. His chuckle came out dry and a bit forced, and he worried he was sounding like a puritanical old man.

"Surely I do remember that. Do you want me to enlighten you again, or are you under the impression that it might be the other way around?"

He had meant it as a joke, but Scorpius cracked a grin, eyes glinting with a light that was somehow both unsure and jubilant. "Actually, Dad, I might have seen a few things you haven't by now. Er... can I ask you to be open-minded?"

"Am I not always?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow, and as Scorpius started laughing, he was left to ponder the disturbing possibility that the answer would be negative. That was no good. He was supposed to be an open and safe father figure, intelligent, wry, protective, benign, very occasionally cynical and not at all _aloof_ – none of that. He deemed himself remarkably open-minded – his word was no law (_well, of course it was sometimes_) and his mocking tone allowed him to tackle many subjects... as... _to hell with it_.

"What is it, Scorpius?" he asked, getting highly uncomfortable with his current train of thought.

"Well, Dad..." Scorpius paused, lips pursed. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure how to go with this. Well, I pretty much trust you not to disown me, but – all the same. It's a big thing for you to deal with."

At the word "disown" Draco could feel his face turning white. There was only one thing he could think of that might lead his son to believe that he might end up disowned. He swallowed hard, his heart hammering in panic, shock and a harsh feeling of failure.

"Scorpius, I'm not going to disown you," he whispered hoarsely, "we can work this out. I'm... well, I... Are you sure about this? Quite sure?"

Disbelief was plain on Scorpius' face. "What do you mean? Did you _expect _this to happen? Oh wow," he snorted, "and I thought I wasn't too much of a stereotype."

"Well..." he stammered, trying to control his voice, "You keep staying at – " he couldn't help but wince – "Potter's place, and I do know that times have changed... I knew something like this would happen someday."

He took a deep breath.

"But Scorpius, I could never, ever disown you..." he continued weakly. "How could you even _consider_ that?"

"I don't know, Dad. I'm sorry," sighed Scorpius. "I guess I wanted to be prepared for every option. We were both really under some pressure."

"I can imagine, though the pressure was certainly a bit higher on your side," Draco probed, keeping his voice warm.

"Oh yes, surely... There'll still be some yelling, though. Ron Weasley will probably throw a fit, not that it's any of his business... He should be grateful I never felt that strongly for Rose, really." Scorpius snickered.

"Ron Weasley?" Draco exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Scorpius shrugged. "Um, yes. Not that you two will have to meet again or anything, thank heavens for that."

"So..." Draco struggled for words, "is it... young Lily Luna, then?" He stopped before the surname as though it would have burnt his tongue.

Incredulous disappointment dawned on Scorpius' face. "Uh, dad?" he stammered, "do you even remember that this talk started up about sexuality?"

Draco stared. "I am not..." he started, choosing his words carefully, "particularly interested in whatever you've been doing with the girl, son. I can accept this relationship, yet... feel free to spare me any details. Please."

"God, you don't get it. You really don't," Scorpius whispered. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

_A... muggleborn. Quite obviously. _

Draco swallowed hard. "If it is not the Potter girl... and if I really was this far off... What did you want to tell me?"

Scorpius stood up.

"Her brother," he said flatly. "I'm with her brother. Albus Severus Potter. My friend Al, remember? Well – " he took a deep breath – "there's more to it. To us. I'm bi, Dad. That's what I really wanted to tell you."

Draco just sat there, stunned into silence.

"Say something," Scorpius urged. "Say you don't hate me. Or you're not disgusted. Or disappointed. Or whatever. Yell if you want. Just tell me that you care."

Draco blinked. "What was that?" he murmured hoarsely.

"What?"

"You need to be told that I _care?_"

Scorpius bit his lip, looking uncomfortable. "Well," he said carefully, "I sort of know. But it's nice to be told. You know, you're not exactly the kind of person who just goes and expresses their feelings, like it's okay."

Draco stared. "I love you."

"I know."

"No. You don't know. You and your mother, Scorpius, you're my life. You're – " he swallowed hard – "you're the best things that ever happened to me. The things I really didn't want to mess up with."

Scorpius grinned. "Wow, no need to get _quite_ that cheesy, Dad."

His answering laugh was weak.

"So," the boy chirped, "can I invite Al for dinner tonight?"

He choked. "Tonight is a bit of a short notice."

"In five years of friendship he's never set foot here once. It's been two months now that they're way more. I think my boyfriend deserves a seat at the bloody Malfoy table. Don't you?"

"Make it official and then we'll see. It was that way for me, it'll be that way for you." Then he cleared his throat. "Tell him to watch his table manners. He'll be under study. Also, his family stays clear."

"Don't overdo the iceberg façade either. It took months to get him to believe my family wasn't that bad." Scorpius grinned.

"Prejudice."

"You sure can talk."

"I think I can, actually."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm off to floo him," he said dismissively.

"Mmmh."

"Dad?" he called from the doorstep.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Go floo your... boyfriend... and let me mourn in peace."

**My prompt for the Unrelated Title Competition: ** _**Title: Internet Killed The Radio Star**_ _**Plot: Scorpius confides to his father that, One: He's Bi. And, Two: He's in love with Albus Potter.**_


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